I have a bone to pick with you. In the valley of dry bones, we can learn something about ourselves and our local churches. Let us take a moment to find out what these dry bones can tell us.
Some Bible scholars, theologians, teachers, or preachers may say that the translation of this chapter concerns the future reclamation of Israel. That reclamation has to do with both the public element of Israel as well as the spiritual recovery or rebuilding of Israel, which the Lord reported in the former chapter. I would tend to agree with them. But I think that it could also be looked at those Christians who are spiritually dead.
What I mean by that is that a person has come to know the Lord Jesus and has accepted him into their hearts. But somewhere down the road, that Christian has strayed from the path and is no longer serving the Lord as he or she once was serving. They no longer attend church services, they have quit reading and studying their Bible, and their spiritual witness has waned.
It is up to the individual Christian to dutifully study God’s Word, talk to the Father in prayer, and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak revelation of the Scriptures to you.
Now let us begin.
Nothing on this earth can bring bones back to life, only God can restore life. Ezekiel came across a valley of bones. The Spirit of the Lord told him to prophesy to these bones, and as he did, the sinews and flesh came on them, and then the skin. Ezekiel was then told to prophesy for the wind to blow, and as he did the wind blew, and the bodies stood up and breathed.
This vision delineates the promise made in chapter thirty-six, life renewed and a country reestablished, both in physical and spiritual aspects. The dry bones are a portrayal of the Jewish individuals in bondage, dispersed and dead. The outcasts of both Israel and Judah would be discharged from their graves of bondage and one day be reunited in their home country, with their leader, Jesus Christ the Messiah. This vision has not yet come to fruition. Ezekiel thought that he was addressing the dead as he lectured the outcasts since they only reacted to his messages on occasion. In any case, look how these bones reacted! Also, similarly as God carried life to these dead bones, he would once more provide life into the spiritually dead individuals.
• Psalm 141:7, Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
• Hosea 13:14, I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
• Joel 2:27, And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
• Revelation 11:11, And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
The dry bones spoke to the individuals' condition of being spiritually dead. Our places of worship may appear to be a load of evaporated issues that remain to be worked out, spiritually dead with no expectation of essentialness. Similarly, as God vowed to reestablish the Hebrew people, he can reestablish any congregation, regardless of how dry it might be. As opposed to giving up, Christians ought to appeal to God for recharging, for God can reestablish it to life. The expectation and supplication of each congregation ought to be that God will place His Spirit into it (Ezekiel 37:14). God is calling his children back to himself, bringing new life into dead holy places and dead Christians.
• Isaiah 26:19, Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
• Amos 9:14, And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
• Ezekiel 36:27, And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
• Joel 2:28, And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
This vision was to encourage the Jews. It shows their rebuilding after being in captivity, and their coming together from being exiled. Additionally, it represents the restoration of the dead, and it speaks of God's saving grace.
Types of bones:
• Wish bones – They sit around and hope for something to happen.
• Jaw bones – They have a lot of talk, but they have little to no action. They are not spreading the Word of God.
• Funny bones – They are not serious about working. It is as if nothing really matters to them.
• Feet bones – They are not sure if there is supposed to have movement or are they just supposed to be standing still. Basically, they are not sure of what to do.
• Back bones – They have no courage to do anything. They are always afraid of failure.
• Dry bones – They are the spiritually dead. They need the Living Water of the Lord.
How many churches and Christians of today are like these bones described here in Ezekiel chapter thirty-seven? What are we to do about these dry bones?
The fundamental lesson is that when the Spirit of God is present, His people (Christians) are enabled to live.
